Too bad the OP didn't bother to look that up before complaining about it.

-J

Oh no: _You_ should have looked it over, before stating the wrong claim.

In the RP you can only adjust the screen brightness together with the viewfinder. Use search in the PDF manual. It will lead you to the page 373, where there is a menu item "Disp. Brightness." Pretty standard stuff.

Nooo. Guess what:

While looking through the EVF when on the "Disp Brightness" menu page, magically there appears, at the upper right corner of the screen, the notation "Viewfinder", and when you, with your eye to the EVF, then adjust the slider, it ONLY adjusts the brightness of the EVF!

Then, when you take your eye off the EVF, and the screen display comes on, the "Disp Brightness" menu comes up on the rear LCD with, in the top right corner, the word "Display"! Magic! Now you can adjust the brightness for the DISPLAY only!

And yes, they can both be different. I prefer less bright display settings for both the EVF and the screen, but on bright days I adjust the rear screen way up so I can see the LCD outside....but use the EVF still low. Amazing how that works!

Oh, and this is the same way that most EVF/LCD adjustments work in mirrorless cameras now. Think about it...makes perfect sense to only be able to adjust the EVF when your eye is actually at the viewfinder! That way you don't inadvertently change one setting when you are viewing the other!

The issue here is different though: The Camera should adjust the EVF _automatically_ to follow the ambient light. It is about the physical properties of our eyes, adapting to the level of the ambient light. Imagine you just went from a shady area into a bright sun flooded square and attempt to shoot, but your screen was previously adjusted to the shadows. You really want to constantly fiddle with a menu and set it up and down, down and up?

That is an entirely different thing, and yes, having ambient adjustment functionality is nice to be able to select if you prefer it. However, only some mirrorless cameras have it, and it's not something I would necessarily expect in a base model. Sony, for instance, at least on its earlier A7 models, had no auto adjustability, but it did have a "Sunny Weather" setting which goosed the rear screen brightness quickly when you selected it. That would actually be a useful option for the RP....but what I have done is assigned the brightness to a line in the "My Menu" settings, so I can bring it up and adjust it quickly if I need to.

Exactly this property of the OVF, which is to follow the ambient light, is one of its enduring qualities, which is so difficult to emulate in the EVF.

No, I disagree. The EVF gives you an entirely accurate picture of what the sensor is seeing in terms of exposure at any given moment. No OVF can do that. Brightness of the display in response to the ambient light is a totally different thing. I always know, when using a mirrorless camera, whether with LCD or EVF, the exposure that I am seeing on the screen is what is going to be recorded by the sensor. You cannot do that with an OVF. If I have to bump up the gain on the displays to see them outside, they still are going to show whether or not the exposure is correct; adjusting display gain has nothing to do with that.

Look, I've been using mirrorless cameras now for 8 years. I've gotten so used to being able to see what exactly the sensor is seeing when I shoot that when I go back to an OVF, I feel like I am shooting totally blind for all parameters except composition. What I will say is that there is a learning curve with EVF use, and you need to approach it a little differently than you would an OVF so you can learn how to get the most out of it. Same thing with a bunch of little tweaks about mirrorless in general, It's just a bit different than what you are used to, and it takes time to get the hang of it all.

Latest in-depth reviews

The Leica Q2 is an impressively capable fixed-lens, full-frame camera with a 47MP sensor and a sharp, stabilized 28mm F1.7 Summilux lens. It's styled like a traditional Leica M rangefinder and brings a host of updates to the hugely popular original Leica Q (Typ 116) that was launched in 2015.

The Edelkrone DollyONE is an app-controlled, motorized flat surface camera dolly. The FlexTILT Head 2 is a lightweight head that extends, tilts and pans. They aren't cheap, but when combined these two products provide easy camera mounting, re-positioning and movement either for video work or time lapse photography.

Are you searching for the best image quality in the smallest package? Well, the GR III has a modern 24MP APS-C sensor paired with an incredibly sharp lens and fits into a shirt pocket. But it's not without its caveats, so read our full review to get the low-down on Ricoh's powerful new compact.

The Olympus OM-D E-M1X is the ultimate sports, action and wildlife camera for professional Micro Four Thirds users. However, it can't quite match the level of AF reliability offered by its full frame competitors.

Latest buying guides

What's the best camera for under $500? These entry level cameras should be easy to use, offer good image quality and easily connect with a smartphone for sharing. In this buying guide we've rounded up all the current interchangeable lens cameras costing less than $500 and recommended the best.

What’s the best camera costing over $2000? The best high-end camera costing more than $2000 should have plenty of resolution, exceptional build quality, good 4K video capture and top-notch autofocus for advanced and professional users. In this buying guide we’ve rounded up all the current interchangeable lens cameras costing over $2000 and recommended the best.

What's the best camera for shooting sports and action? Fast continuous shooting, reliable autofocus and great battery life are just three of the most important factors. In this buying guide we've rounded-up several great cameras for shooting sports and action, and recommended the best.

What’s the best camera for less than $1000? The best cameras for under $1000 should have good ergonomics and controls, great image quality and be capture high-quality video. In this buying guide we’ve rounded up all the current interchangeable lens cameras costing under $1000 and recommended the best.

If you're looking for a high-quality camera, you don't need to spend a ton of cash, nor do you need to buy the latest and greatest new product on the market. In our latest buying guide we've selected some cameras that while they're a bit older, still offer a lot of bang for the buck.